PLACES TO VISIT IN SYRIA

The House of Saint Ananias (also called Chapel of Saint Ananias) is the ancient house of Saint Ananias in the old Christian quarter of Damascus, Syria. It is said by some to be the house where Ananias baptized Saul, who became Paul, the Apostle. The church, which has been restored many times, is the only early Christian house of worship from the 1st century to survive in the city. A simple structure consisting of two small rooms with bare stonewalls, it houses only an altar, some icons and a few pews. The icons tell the story of the conversion of Paul. It represents the simplicity of the initial Christians and is one of the earliest churches still standing where services continue to be held to this day. Archaeological excavations in 1921 found the remains of a Byzantine church from the 5th or 6th century, adding physical evidence to support local tradition that the chapel has an early-Christian origin.